Puzzle



une 9, 1936.

W. M. COSTIGAN PUZZLE Filed Aug. 2, 1934 Patented June 9, 1936 lziTENTOFFICE PUZZLE William Meagher Costigan, Grand Falls, New Brunswick,Canada Application August 2, 1934, Serial No. 738,145

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-132) This invention relates to puzzles and an objectof the invention is to provide a puzzle combination which Will beinteresting and can be made as difficult as desired by employing aplurality of fixed units and a series of movable units placeable havingregard to the fixed units.

A further object of the invention is to provide a puzzle of thischaracter which may take various forms. l0 A still further object of theinvention is to prol vide a puzzle of this character which is Worked outon a board or the like on a square iigure subdivided into a plurality ofspaces, the number of different species of unit employed corresponding1X5 to the number of spaces along a side of the square.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter which may be readily and economically manufactured andmarketed in very attractive form.

With these and other obj ects in view the invention Will be apparent in`the following specication and drawing.

In thedrawing, Figure .1 is a plan view of the puzzle base divided intoVa plurality of spaces and bearing the units employed to Work out thepuzzle,

the fixed 'units being shown in full lines and the movable units indotted lines.

Figure 2 is a .plan View `of the base similar to Figure l showing adifferent type of unit.

Figure 3i shows a different type of base in which the fixed units areshown in full lines and the movable units in dotted lines.

Figure 4. is a View similar to Figure 3, illustrata smaller base and alesser number of pieces.

35 Figure 5 is an enlarged View of one type of unit that may beemployed, such as illustrated in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail of another type of unit which may beemployed.

Figure 7 is an illustration of one general manner in which the xed unitsmay be held rmly upon the base.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, Aindicates a suitable 45 base for the puzzle, preferably being in theform of a game board or the like which is marked oi into a plurality ofseries of zones intersecting one another. For instance, I0 indicates aseries of horizontal zones, I I a series of vertical zones and 50 I2indicates a diagonal zone extending from one corner of the board to theother. These zones are al1 formed by intersecting lines I3 or the likeand the intersection of said zones produces a plurality of spaces I4.

The puzzle units are indicated generally by the numeral I5 and comprisea series of xed units I6 and a series of movable units Il. These unitsare employed in a series and each series is differentiated from theother by a value such as the colour, a numerical value or configuration.

other Words, each series differs from any other series by visiblephysical characteristics.

According to the invention the number of any one series of unitscorresponds to the number of spaces I4 along any one side of the board.For

instance, in Figure 1 seven spaces occur along any one side of the boardand accordingly there are seven series of units, each series consistingof seven pieces which are all of one colour, in case colour is employed,or of the same shape, if shape "l the placement of the xed pieces I6 andthe mov-` able pieces with the complete solution of a given puzzle basedon colour value, and Figure 2 indicating the solution oi a puzzle withpieces or units defined by a numerical value.

In the case of Figure 2 it will be seen that there are six spaces alongeach side of the board and the number of pieces in one series is six,there being a series of six ls, six 2s, etc. up to six 6s.

According to the invention the units are placed so that each unit placedin a space on the board in a given zone must be different from any otherunit placed in a space common to the same zone. In other Words, throughthe related intersecting series of zones, the units placed in the spacesthus formed are not repeated in any one zone. On referring to Figure 1,it will be seen in the case of the rst vertical zone on the left handside, that a red unit occurs in the space I4 at the top of the zone.This happens to be a fixed unit I6. It is apparent, therefore, that ared unit cannot occur again in any of the spaces along this zone II.Similarly it will be apparent that a similar unit cannot occur in thespaces along the upper horizontal zone I0 and the same is true inconnection with the diagonal zone I2.

It is apparent, therefore, having regard to the placement of the xedunits IB, that a very diiiicult puzzle can be provided and in most casesa certain definite unit must be placed in each blank space to arrive atthe correct solution.

This illustration is also clearly apparent in the case of Figure 2 whereit will be seen that each space in each series of zones contains a unitof a given numerical value and such value is not repeated in any onezone no matter whether it is a horizontal band I0, a vertical zone I4 orthe diagonal band I2.

In a modiiied form of puzzle the base A is circular or has a circulardesign thereupon which is divided into a series of circular zones I8intersected by a series of semi-circular zones I9 to form a plurality ofspaces 2U. In this case it ywill be clear that exactly the sameprinciple is fol?Y lowed. Fixed units 2l occur in certain designatedspaces 2l] and movable units 22 are to be placed in spaces on the zonesnot occupied by xed units. In each instance, upon examing the disclosurein Figures 3 and 4, it will be seen that each unit in any given zone isdifferent from any other unit contained in the spaces on a common zone.This applies both to the circular bands I8 and the semi-circular zonesI9.

In Figure 3 ten spaces 20 occur in each zone, both in the circular ZoneI'I and semi-circular zone I8 and the number of units in each series isten. In the case of Figure 4 eight spaces occur in any given zone andthe number of units in each series employed is eight.

The values or physical characteristics of the units employed inthevarious forms this puzzle may take may be, as previously indicated,defined by colour, numerical value, coniiguration or other suitabledefining means. In Figure 6 I have i1- lustrated a unit which may bedened by a Word and by employing a series of units, each series beingdefined by a given word, and by relating the words a very interestingform of puzzle can be provided. For instance, a puzzle designed as adepression puzzle may be provided, the pieces being arranged asdescribed above and each series representing a factor which must begrouped to avoid an economic depression. This will serve along with theother illustrations to illustrate the wide application of the manner inwhich the units or pieces may be designated. Y

The iixed units or pieces may be fixed in any suitable manner, it beingthe intention to provide a structure whereby pieces may be iixed on theboard in any desired space so that the puzzle may' be varied. In Figure'7 a simple manner of fixing the piece is illustrated wherein aspike-like member 23 protrudes upwardly through the board A and into oneof the pieces or units employed, the board being recessed as at 24 toreceive the head of the spike-like member. This, however, is merely anillustration and any suitable means for xing the units on the board maybe employed.

Various modications may be made in this invention without departing fromthe spirit thereof or the scope of the claims, and therefore the exactforms shown are to be taken as illustrative only and not in a limitingsense, and it is desired that only such limitations shall be placedthereon as are dsclosed in the prior art or are set forth in theaccompanying claims.

What I claim as my invention is:-

1. A puzzle comprising a base marked 01T to provide a plurality ofseries of intersecting zones defined by spaced apart lines, theintersection of said zones dening a plurality of spaces certain of saidspaces bearing fixed visible units having deflnite surfacecharacteristics, the remaining spaces being blank for receiving movableunits whose surface characteristics diier from any unit xed or movablecontained in a zone common to said remaining spaces, said movable unitsbeing placeable at will in any given blank space, the correct positionof said units beng governed by the fixed units, said fixed units beingpreliminarily positioned to force one or more solutions.

2. A puzzle comprising a base carrying a square marked off to provide aplurality of series of intersecting zones defined by spaced apart lines,the intersection of said zones dening a plurality of spaces, there beinga corresponding number of spaces along each side of the square, certainof said spaces bearing iixed visible units having definite surfacecharacteristics, the remaining spaces being blank for receiving movableunits Whose surface characteristics diier in value from any unit fixedor movable in a zone common to said remaining spaces, said xed unitsbeing selectively positioned in spaces at different points on the baseto force one or more solutions.

WILLIAM MEAGHER COSTIGAN.

